Active Response Modes: Comprehension “Aids” in Need of a Theory

Abstract

The literature in active response modes was reviewed indicating generally negative results. However, an investigation of the theoretical perspectives involved in the research indicated that only a small number of papers had employed a theoretical basis for constructing the active response modes under investigation. These studies generally reported facilitative effects of active response modes. The atheoretical nature of the active response mode literature was discussed and one theoretical perspective, “levels of processing/distinctiveness of encoding,” was suggested as a possible heuristic for future research.